Support Being Tea Scholarships!
Our scholarships help fund tea education here at Being Tea for folks from marginalized communities. We also serve both tea industry professionals and devoted tea amateurs.
We center our efforts on BIPOC+ and LGBTQ+ folks, both in the United States and internationally, as well as other marginalized folks.
Here’s how it works and how you can help.
Are you looking to apply for a scholarship with Being Tea?
Reach out to me here for info.
Being Tea offers scholarships for these programs:
1) Being Tea membership program, a BYOT learning community + classes
2) Tuition for Being Tea’s professional Teacher Training program
3) One year of communal classes in our Tasting Box Club program
We also offer scholarships for folks within our community, such as Community Care packages.
A look at funding needs for these programs:
Gift contributions in any amount are welcome, and every one adds up! Here’s how gifts made toward Being Tea scholarships support our various education programs throughout the year:
– $25 USD = A Community Care package for a Being Tea member experiencing social, emotional, or financial hardship.
– $120 USD = One year of Being Tea community membership. (educational videos + live classes on Zoom)
– $325 USD = One year of guided tea tasting in our Tasting Box Club program.
– $500 USD = Partial tuition for Teacher Training.
Here’s the difference your contributions have made!
In 2025, thanks to record fundraising in 2024, we gifted two partial Teacher Training scholarships (value $500 each), four partial Tasting Box Club scholarships for one year (value $160 each), two one-year membership scholarships, plus over twenty Community Care packages. I’m so inspired; it’s our best year yet!
In 2024, we were able to gift one year Being Tea membership scholarships to three recipients. (our funds were lower this year, as Being Tea also did separate fundraising for World Central Kitchen’s humanitarian relief.)
In 2023, we gifted one year Being Tea membership scholarships to six recipients, as well as one partial Teacher Training scholarship.
In 2022, we were able to gift one year Being Tea membership scholarships to five recipients.
In 2021, we gifted one year memberships to five recipients, as well as one partial Teacher Training scholarship.
In 2020, in our very first year, we supported two partial Teacher Training scholarships.
Scholarship recipients also include international students from marginalized backgrounds – Being Tea is proud to support you!
Make a Being Tea scholarship gift today!
You can support access to inclusive, holistic quality tea education and community through a one-time gift below.
Why scholarships have such a powerful impact
Since founding Being Tea, I’ve structured everything I offer to be as financially accessible as possible.
This includes sliding scale options for our membership program, to affordable options for small business support, and a variety of tuition tiers for our teacher training program. (Click to read more)
However, for any space concerned about inclusivity to go deeper, a fundamental shift is needed, beyond generally friendly pricing. We need to recognize that more needs to be done to directly support those with limited financial means and mobility – and understanding why.
Specifically, this means racially marginalized folks – most notably Black people – and others who face daily oppression, such as queer folks. Oppression leads to a lack of access to technical trade education, professional certifications, and guided mentorship. (it also creates a lack of safety in those spaces.)
One antidote to this is creating intentional space to give freely, uplift, and invest in a fair, equitable future. Scholarships are a potent way to break down barriers for determining who gets the privilege of access to education and support.
Who can apply for Being Tea scholarships?
Scholarships are awarded to eligible applicants based on spaces available and how well the program fits the applicant’s stated learning needs and interests.
You do not need to be a working tea professional to qualify. You also do not need specialized equipment to join Being Tea – just reliable access to internet.
Eligible groups are as follows:
Group 1) Our scholarship program primarily serves BIPOC+ (Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color), and LGBTQ+ folks inside the United States.
Group 2) As funds and requests allow, we also grant Being Tea scholarships to folks from other marginalized backgrounds experiencing economic hardship, both in the U.S. and overseas. Including but not limited to: being disabled or chonically ill; neurodivergent; an immigrant; an older adult on fixed income; chronically underemployed, etc.
If either of these affinity groups describe you, please apply!
I do give priority consideration first to Black and Indigenous applicants, as well as queer POC+ folks. This is a protected, welcoming space for you.
Strong consideration is also given to eligible applicants who are applying their tea knowledge skills for community support purposes, including: Asian heritage cultural programs; youth groups; working with queer communities; and programs supporting elderly, disabled, and mental health spaces.
Apply here for a Being Tea Scholarship
Contact me below if you would like to be considered for a scholarship, and I will send you an application. Please allow me a few days to respond, as everything at Being Tea is handled by just me personally. 🙂
Applications are currently accepted throughout the year, however, not all programs may be open right away when you apply. This is due to different start dates for our various programs.
For example, Teacher Training scholarships are awarded in the summer, while Tasting Box Club scholarships are awarded in late autumn. Being Tea membership scholarships may be awarded year-round. You will be able to note your program of interest on the application form.
A little backstory: Who reminds you that you are enough?
When I was first getting started in tea in 2003, I was in a really vulnerable place as I navigated a rocky, unknown transition from my previous career path. I benefited from generous, kind people who saw me and made room for my potential. In this new home, I wasn’t judged for my age, my lack of academic qualifications, the job title that I held. I just was – and got to be – tea. The ability for me to be what I wanted wasn’t questioned.
As I transitioned to working more with the wider industry, I felt suddenly exposed, without my nest. There were professional expectations, experiences, and financial backing that I just didn’t have yet. I was deeply self-conscious of this and spent years judging myself for not being “enough,” not being there yet.
It was only by the grace of finding places to volunteer my time professionally that I was able to keep growing and learning in tea, because I certainly couldn’t pay the cost of admission without help. I had friends who let me share hotel rooms and homes with them when I traveled for tea conferences, because I couldn’t afford that, either. I met new colleagues and friends who also did not judge me for my position in life. I’ve thought a lot about those early years as I’ve kept going in tea.
In 2015, I founded Being Tea as a means to offer education that’s accessible, affordable, and geared toward everyday life and enjoyment. Tea for personal enrichment. Tea that shows you that you are enough.
Thank you for supporting my work, as well as the well-being and education of fellow tea folks on the path!